Transcript of
JapanSkates' interview with Yukari
Nakano at Skate Detroit, July 22, 2006.

By Mark S., (c)
JapanSkates 2006.

More photos and videos taken
at the interview are atthis page.
Japanese version is at
this
page.

I
arrived at the Detroit
Skating Club with my
girlfriend, I-Ching, at 6:30
pm on Friday, July 21, just
as the Ladies Free Skate
(part 1) was about to begin.
Our contact at the arena,
Georgia Hartsell, greeted us
and told us that Yukari's
chaperone and interpreter
would meet us shortly.
We were very surprised and
pleased when she told us
that it would be Yuka Sato!
Yuka met us and we arranged
the interview for the
following day after Yukari's
practice. We then went
into the stands and enjoyed
the skating, especially
Yukari's program, which was
the best of the evening and
easily qualified her for the
next evening's Final Round.

The next day, after
Yukari's practice, Yuka took
us all to a quiet room next
to the practice rink and we
started the interview.
Yukari's English was quite
good and she answered most
of the questions in English
herself. When she
needed assistance, she would
speak to Yuka in Japanese,
who would then translate and
elaborate. When I
finished Yukari's questions,
I asked Yuka if she'd answer
a couple, to which she
graciously agreed.
Throughout the interview,
I-Ching snapped some great
pictures.

As in past transcripts,
I've tried to stay as close
as possible to a verbatim
transcription. Also, I
have put Yukari's own words
in regular type
and Yuka's translations in
italics. I have also
put Yuka's translations into
the first person.

JS: Have you been training
recently, or have you been
relaxing, or enjoying your
summer?

YN:
I have very pressure.
Oh yeah, I
have had a really busy
season, and I have been
working really hard, going
to some shows and such. So
as much as I've been
training, at the same time I
have been working by
performing. So that’s why I
think I was really tired,
getting in shape for the
competition.

JS: Are you skating old
programs or your new
programs for next season?

YN:
New programs.

JS: Can you tell us what
the musical selections are?

YN:
My short program is “Memoirs
of a Geisha” and my free
program is “Cinderella”.
We thought they were the
best choices for my skating.

JS: Those are great
choices. The next
question is about the Code
of Points judging system.
What technical elements in
your skating are you trying
to improve the most to
improve your scores under
the Code of Points?

JS: This is a little bit of
a personal question. You
had a great season last
year, but you were not
chosen for the Olympic team,
and many fans thought you
deserved to be on it. What
are your feelings about not
being chosen for the Olympic
team, and being chosen for
the World team instead?

YN:
I wanted to go to the
Olympics. It’s too bad,
it’s life, you know, how
things have turned out to be
what it was. I've got the
hard feelings...of course,
but there is next time.
But I don’t know, I don’t
know yet.

JS: Actually, the next
question is about future
goals. Do you plan on
skating competitively to the
next Olympics in Canada? Or
are you just planning for
next season?

YN:
In this season, my goal is
World Championships in
Tokyo. So my plans are just
for this season.

JS: Some of the Japanese
skaters have come to America
and Canada to train. Last
year, we interviewed Miki in
Cleveland and Yoshie in
Toronto. Do you think you’d
like to come to North
America to train sometime?

YN:
There aren’t as many rinks
in Japan compared to the
U.S. and Canada. So it’s
very difficult in Japan to
practice.

JS: Here is a funny
question. I ask this to all
the skaters. What was the
best gift ever thrown on the
ice? Your favorite gift or
a funny gift that you
received?

YN:
Oh, that would be tights!(torrents of laughter)

JS: Wow, Yoshie got socks
and you got tights!
(more laughter)

YS:
Very interesting!(more laughter)

JS: Finally, I know that
the skaters on the Japanese
team get along well as
friends. Who are some of
your best friends in figure
skating, Japanese or
international?

YN:
Um, I think that Shizuka
Arakawa and Miki Ando are my
best friends.

JS: Well since we still
have tape left, maybe we
could ask you a few
questions, Yuka?

YS:
Sure!

JS: Do you still work and
train here at the Detroit
club?

YS:
Yes, at the moment I’m kind
of busy skating on my own as
well, so I just started
getting back to coaching.
Right now for this summer, I
have so many Japanese
skaters coming in and out,
so I’m kind of busy with
them. I haven’t really
taken too many new students
locally. But I would really
like to get into that.

JS: Do you and your husband
plan on continuing to skate
at the professional level?

YS:
As far as we know at the
moment we are committed
through December 16, which
is the Brian Boitano skating
festival.

(At this point I-Ching
reminded me of two questions
I had forgot to ask Yukari)

JS: We have fans
writing from Africa who have never
seen live figure skating,
who have written into the
website and are intrigued
about figure skating
internationally. Do you
have a few words for those
fans out there? A message
for them?

YN:
Thanks for cheering and I
wish that a lot of people
could see my performances
and hopefully I can touch
their hearts.

JS: (Referring to her
signature) Is that a
cat? Your signature looks
like a cat. Is there a
meaning to it?

YN:
No…Yukari…Y…and the big line
is an 'N' for Nakano.(all laugh)

After this, we had Yukari
sign autographs for us and
the site, and then we posed
for some pictures together.
We thanked her and Yuka for
their time and wished Yukari
the best for that evening's
final free skate.
Although the fact that
Yukari was speaking in
English limited her to short
answers, she was very direct
and definite in her
responses. She
obviously knows who she is
and what she wants to
accomplish. We wish
her the best of luck this
season and in the future.

JapanSkates would like to
thank Yuka and Yukari again
for their valuable time, and
also Georgia Hartsell and
all the staff at the Detroit
SC for being so welcoming
and accommodating.
Thanks also go to the Japan
Skating Federation for
authorizing and arranging
this meeting.